After Hazel Park schools suspends superintendent, board approves interim's contract

Hazel Park Schools District Superintendent Amy Wilcox was not at Monday night's meeting after being placed on administrative leave for the second time. However, the interim superintendent was in attendance as the school board voted on his contract.

Those in support of Wilcox wore pink at the school board meeting. One woman raised concerns after it was revealed that a teacher leaked personal student information to certain school board members.

"The teachers who violated the trust of the community by sending personal information of the children to a board member's personal email needs to be fired immediately," said Lakeisha Calhoun of Hazel Park.

A teacher expressed concern after Wilcox's lawyer placed a litigation hold on the school board.

"I am asking that you work with the board's counsel to ensure that if this litigation notice comes to fruition, that you are doing your due diligence to make sure that you are protecting the employees of this district," said teacher Audrey London.

Despite concerns raised by three board members, the majority voted to approve the contract for interim Superintendent Griff Mills.  

The meeting proceeded as Mills explained his background. Mills spent years as a basketball coach before becoming an assistant principal. For two and a half years, he was the superintendent in Taylor until he stepped down in 2023.

"We have to work together for the good kids. Period," he said.

School board member April Beaton revealed he was asked to voluntarily leave that position in 2023.

"Mr. Mills's last superintendent evaluation does list him as minimally effective. Mr. Mills has never been an educator," Beaton said.

The most controversial part came when Beverly Hinton, the school board president, presented the interim's contract for a vote.

 "We received this contract 30 seconds before we were expected to vote on it," Beaton said.

Mills will be paid $800 per day, with a $200 monthly stipend for travel between schools. The language in the contract suggested that the board was in the process of finding a permanent replacement for Wilcox, who is on paid administrative leave.

"We have open litigation against us already for doing something like this; we cannot vote with this language in the contract. We can't. And if this is agreed upon, like it probably has already been agreed upon, we are voting to get sued again, and we deserve to," Beaton said.